This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-148673, filed May 27, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an image processing system comprising an image processor such as a digital copying machine and a remote terminal which is connected to this image processor via a network and manages the operation of the image processor.
Recently, an image processing system has been put into practical use which comprises an image processor such as a digital copying machine and a remote terminal which is connected to this image processor via a network (communication line) and manages the operation of the image processor.
In this system, a user changes the functions and operation windows of the digital copying machine and refers to or changes its operation state from the remote terminal via the network, thereby managing the operation of the machine.
That is, copying machines have changed from analog to digital machines. As described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-111793, not only a copying function but also a network printer function and a function of transmitting scanned image data to another computer and registering the data in a database DB are combined.
In the above prior art, the function of transmitting scanned image data to another computer to process the data is edited by using a service number and a character string such as the name of an application program to be executed as shown in FIG. 2 of the prior art. Therefore, an operator at the remote terminal cannot check the arrangement and shapes of actual operation buttons by which functions are displayed on an operation unit. Consequently, the operator sometimes selects a wrong icon for assigning or changing a function.
It is an object of the present invention to provide changes of functions readily understandable by an operator at a remote terminal, by which the operator can check the arrangement and shapes of actual operation buttons displayed on an operation unit of an image processor and hence do not select a wrong icon for assigning or changing a function.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing system comprising an image processor for processing an image and a remote terminal connected to the image processor via a communication line to manage the operation of the image processor, wherein the remote terminal uses a window having the same form as that for designating a function on the image processor as a window for designating a function of the image processor.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing system comprising an image processor for processing an image and a remote terminal connected to the image processor via a communication line to manage the operation of the image processor, wherein the remote terminal uses a window having the same form as that for designating a function on the image processor as a window for designating a function of the image processor and, when various functions of the image processor are to be assigned to icons, common settings of the functions and settings unique to the icons are separately performed.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing system comprising an image processor for printing an image and a remote terminal connected to the image processor via a communication line to manage the operation of the image processor, wherein the remote terminal uses a window having the same form as that for designating a function on the image processor as a window for designating a function of the image processor, and the image processing system further comprises first setting means provided in one of the remote terminal and the image processor to set a printing process, second setting means provided in one of the remote terminal and the image processor to set whether the printing process set by the first setting means is normal printing or private printing by which printing is performed by checking a password, storage means provided in the image processor to store the log of each printing process by the image processor on the basis of the contents set by the first and second setting means, and display means provided in one of the remote terminal and the image processor to display information indicating whether a printing process is normal printing or private printing when the log of the printing process stored in the storage means is to be displayed.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing system comprising an image processor for processing an image and a remote terminal connected to the image processor via a communication line to manage the operation of the image processor, wherein the remote terminal uses a window having the same form as that for designating a function on the image processor as a window for designating a function of the image processor, and the image processing system further comprises counting means provided in the image processor to count the number of times of use of each frame or icon used on the window for designating a function of the image processor, and display means provided in one of the remote terminal and the image processor to display, when the window for designating a function of the image processor is displayed, the number of times of use, counted by the counting means, of each frame or icon used on the window.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing system comprising an image processor for processing an image and a remote terminal connected to the image processor via a communication line to manage the operation of the image processor, wherein the remote terminal uses a window having the same form as that for designating a function on the image processor as a window for designating a function of the image processor, and the image processing system further comprises setting means provided in one of the remote terminal and the image processor to set whether each of various functions corresponding to each frame used on the window for designating a function of the image processor is a common function usable by anybody or a private function requiring checking of a password, determining means provided in one of the remote terminal and the image processor to determine, when a function of the image processor is to be designated, whether the function is a common function or a private function on the basis of the contents set by the setting means, and permitting means provided in one of the remote terminal and the image processor to permit, when the determining means determines that the function is a private function, designation of the function by checking of a password.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.